UCLA's Parker searching for minutes

LOS ANGELES – With the title of "nation's top recruiting class" comes a great deal of responsibility, as weighty expectations were laid upon the shoulders of UCLA freshmen Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams, and Tony Parker coming into the season.

Muhammad, billed as a potential top-three pick in next year's NBA Draft, started slow but has begun to look like one of the Pac 12's best players. Anderson has also started to find his stride. And Adams, meanwhile, has been a more prolific scorer than many imagined upon his arrival.

Still, Parker remains the odd man out. Despite the Bruins' lack of depth in the frontcourt, Parker has only managed minor minutes in most games this season – against Long Beach State (UCLA's last game) that meant just five minutes.

That limited time on the court has led to questions of his development and whether he's on par with his talented freshmen classmates.

"Tony is going to end up playing major minutes in huge games for us this season as it unfolds," Howland said. "He's making good progress. I'm excited about Tony."

Howland attributes his limited success so far to a difference in the learning process of playing inside, versus outside. Parker, he says, has had a tougher change to make than the other freshmen.

Parker was also hampered by injuries a great deal since joining the Bruins, as a torn hamstring kept him out the entire summer, including the team's trip to China. And since returning, Parker has dealt with back spasms and a twisted ankle that he sustained in warm-ups a few weeks ago. All in all, it's been a rather unlucky beginning for someone adjusting to being in a difficult position.

"I don't know that (he needed more time)," Howland said. "It's different when you're playing inside. Those guys are so physical and it's just different playing inside versus outside. It's a different game. Everybody is different, but Tony is going to be a very good player."

HOWLAND RESPONDS

One day after questions of his job security began circulating, courtesy of a story on Bruin Report Online that stated UCLA was leaning toward firing its long-time basketball coach, Howland said he hasn't spoken with anyone in the school's athletic department about his future, nor is he concerned by the report.

"I heard about it, but I don't read it," Howland said. "You're always going to have things written (about you). I'm just doing everything I can to help this team improve and grow and become the best team it can become."

"I can't help you with substantiating anything that's written on the boards," he added.

The report also claimed that Howland may not even last the full season before being fired by the athletic department. That seems unlikely, given Howland's massive buyout and the public perception disaster that the program would have on its hands, having fired Howland in the middle of what was supposed to be a banner year for UCLA, but it's also not an impossibility.

But for the UCLA coach who may possibly be in turmoil following a rocky start to a key season, he expects to be evaluated in the same way he has since taking the job with the Bruins in 2003.

"Everything at UCLA since I've been here has been very, very much the same in that you're evaluated at the end of every season," Howland said.

QUICK HITS

With Fresno State coming to Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, Howland said that he expects the Bulldogs to pressure a lot in man-to-man defense. "They play extremely hard," he said of Fresno's defense. ... UCLA's out-of-state players won't be going home for Christmas this year, as the team will have practice on the night of the 25th. The Bruins take on Missouri on Dec. 28 in one of their marquee matchups of the non-conference season.